PRO 2.3.1 Annotation Upgrade Dataset & Python

I am going to start to upgrade the annotations in our databases and have some troubles, questions and concerns.

1. I read this in the documentation. "Feature classes in the same feature dataset as theArcGIS Proannotation are also read-only in ArcMap." So if I upgrade the annotation in our parcel fabric dataset, all points, lines, and polygons feature classes within that dataset will be uneditable in ArcMap?

2. Currently in Pro we cannot Publish Services to ArcGIS Server. So if we upgrade our Annotation, this annotation cannot be published? Can this be done in Python instead then? Did I read correctly that Publishing Services to Server in Pro will be possible in 2.4 as long as we are on Server 10.6.1?

3. Once upgrade is there anyway to export or make a copy of the annotation to be viewed in ArcMap? Just in case we edited a bunch of the upgraded annotation and later find that Pro is not going to work for us yet. If not is this something in the works for later releases?

4. I tried running this script in both the Old Catalog and within Pro and got these errors. I was testing it on a File Geodatabase before I use it on the sde database. None of my feature classes are empty.

I have not tested publishing updated annotation to a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site. I can tell you that publishing from ArcGIS Pro to ArcGIS Enterprise works as expected.

3. Once the annotation is upgraded with the ArcGIS Pro client, it will not be visible within ArcMap. This includes copying out annotation. If you wanted to have a "backup" before moving to ArcGIS Pro, I would recommend taking a verified backup of your Enterprise Geodatabase or make a copy to a file geodatabase. Remember that if the annotation is in a feature dataset, you would also have to replace the feature classes with the "backup" copy. This might cause you to lose edits made since the backup/upgrade. I have not tested this workflow out at this time.

I do not know if this is something in the works for a future release. I would venture towards the no portion since the structure is different for annotation between ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, hence the need to upgrade.

4. I am not a Python expert. I would recommend reaching out to Esri technical support for help with this portion.

I have not tested publishing updated annotation to a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site. I can tell you that publishing from ArcGIS Pro to ArcGIS Enterprise works as expected.

3. Once the annotation is upgraded with the ArcGIS Pro client, it will not be visible within ArcMap. This includes copying out annotation. If you wanted to have a "backup" before moving to ArcGIS Pro, I would recommend taking a verified backup of your Enterprise Geodatabase or make a copy to a file geodatabase. Remember that if the annotation is in a feature dataset, you would also have to replace the feature classes with the "backup" copy. This might cause you to lose edits made since the backup/upgrade. I have not tested this workflow out at this time.

I do not know if this is something in the works for a future release. I would venture towards the no portion since the structure is different for annotation between ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro, hence the need to upgrade.

4. I am not a Python expert. I would recommend reaching out to Esri technical support for help with this portion.

Thank you. I will make sure to back everything up. The Annotation Upgrade nuking any ability to fall back to ArcMap, and possibly publishing, is my biggest hurdle for moving the organization to Pro. We really will have to go all in or not at all.

That #1 item is really difficult to overcome. It would be great if ESRI could at least make the annotation viewable in ArcMap if you upgrade the annotation to be editable in Pro. This would make the transition to Pro so much easier and less risky as this is a big sticking point.